Outdoor Kitchen Furniture

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a piece of outdoor kitchen furniture (1) provided with a displaceable protective element, wherein the protective element comprises at least two panels (3; 4), wherein one panel (3) is tiltable with respect to the other panel (4), so that the protective element is openable and closable and displaceable between a protective position and a use position by a combination of a sliding movement and a tilting movement.

The present invention relates to a piece of outdoor kitchen furniture provided with a displaceable protective element which comprises at least two panels, wherein one panel is tiltable with respect to the other panel, so that the protective element is openable and closable.

There are various possibilities for cooking outdoors. Usually, a gas, coal or electric barbecue is used. Over the last few years, however, it has increasingly become the trend to install an extensive (sometimes moveable) outdoor kitchen which makes cooking in the garden somewhat easier and more comfortable than with a barbecue. Kitchens of this type are often equipped in such a way that it is possible to prepare a complete meal in the open without any problems.

If such outdoor kitchens remain outside after use, it is essential that they are sufficiently covered to protect them. To this end, it is known to cover an outdoor kitchen with a protective cover made from a weather-resistant material. However, this is not always practical and is also less visually attractive.

However, outdoor kitchens are already known in which a displaceable panel is used to cover the work surface, which is provided for cooking or preparing meals, when the kitchen is not in use. In this case, the panel is horizontally displaceable between a retracted and an extended position. In the extended position, the work surface is accessible and the panel serves as a bar element, at which people can sit. However, this solution makes the assembly bulky, as a result of which the distance between the cooking section and the seating section is too large. This makes it more difficult, for example, to pass plates from the cooking section to the consuming section. Moreover, the large part, which is not easily extendable, means that the guide system will be subject to a great degree of wear and a larger tilting moment will arise, so that it will be necessary to anchor outdoor kitchens which are configured in this way.

US 2014/0352747 describes a protective element for a barbecue, wherein the protective element (canopy) comprises two pivotable panels, wherein, in the open position, the panels function as a roof (shelter) for the barbecue.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative piece of kitchen furniture which can remain outside after use and which does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages.

The object of the invention is achieved by providing a piece of outdoor kitchen furniture provided with a displaceable protective element which comprises at least two panels and wherein one panel is tiltable with respect to the other panel, so that the protective element is openable and closable, wherein, in the closed position, the panels extend in the same plane and wherein, in the open position, one panel lies on top of the other panel. With the outdoor kitchen furniture according to the invention, the protective element is displaceable between a protective position and a use position by a combination of a sliding movement and a tilting movement.

With the outdoor kitchen furniture according to the present invention, the work surface with integrated appliances and/or outdoor kitchen facilities is released by sliding away the protective element. In addition, part of the protective element is opened or swung back, as a result of which a counter surface is obtained similar to that of a bar.

According to a preferred embodiment of the outdoor kitchen furniture according to the invention, the protective element comprises a support structure which is displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position. In order to displace the protective element, in a more preferred embodiment the kitchen furniture comprises guide means. These guide means comprise one or more guide bars which are moved along guide blocks. The guide bars are preferably provided on the protective element and the guide blocks are secured to the furniture. Obviously, it is also possible to provide the guide bars on the furniture and the guide blocks on the protective element.

Both in the retracted and the extended position, one panel of the protective element can be tilted with respect to the other panel. In particular, said support structure is provided with a first, fixed panel and a second, tiltable panel. Said panels are preferably of identical shape.

The present invention will now be described in more detail by means of the following detailed description of a piece of outdoor kitchen furniture according to the present invention. The sole aim of this description is to provide illustrative examples and to indicate further advantages and particulars of this outdoor kitchen, and may therefore not be interpreted as a limitation of the area of application of the invention or of the patent rights defined in the claims.

In this detailed description, reference numerals are used to refer to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1: is a perspective view of a piece of outdoor kitchen furniture according to the invention in the protective position;

FIG. 2: shows the front of the outdoor kitchen illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3: is a perspective view of a piece of outdoor kitchen furniture according to the invention in the use position;

FIG. 4: shows the front of the outdoor kitchen illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5: shows the opening of the protective element.

The outdoor kitchen furniture (1) according to the present invention and as illustrated in the attached figures is fully equipped and has a base cabinet (6) with a large work surface (7) into which a cooking zone (8) and a sink (9) are incorporated. A number of burners are provided in the cooking zone (8). It is obviously possible to further extend the cooking zone (8), for example by adding extra grill plates and/or griddles.

The outdoor kitchen (1) will generally use gas bottles (butane or propane) to cook. The kitchen (1) can obviously be adapted to cook with electricity, if desired.

The work surface (7) can be protected with the aid of a protective element (2). The protective element (2) is moveable between a protective position and a use position by a combination of a sliding movement and a tilting movement.

The protective element (2) is composed of a support structure (frame) (5) having two panels (3; 4) which are hingedly connected to one another, so that the protective element is openable and closable. In this case, one panel (4) is fixedly connected to the support structure (5) and the other panel (3), as illustrated in FIG. 5, can tilt with respect to the fixed panel (4). The panels (3; 4) are preferably made from steel, aluminium or stainless steel. They may optionally be provided with a decorative coating layer of wood or another suitable material.

The support structure (5) is displaceable and can be retracted and extended. In order to be able to displace the support structure (5), it is provided with guide bars which are moveable along guide blocks which are fixedly attached to the outdoor kitchen (1). The displacement is carried out manually. However, it is also possible to automate this process. The opening and closing of the panels (3; 4) can also be automated.

In the protective position, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the panels (3; 4) are closed and the panels (3; 4) extend in the same plane. In order to move the protective element (2) to the use position, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the panels (3; 4) can first be opened and the support structure (5) is extended. The support structure (5) can obviously also be extended first in order to subsequently open the panels (3; 4). In the open position, the panels lie on top of one another and form a counter surface similar to that of a bar.

The outdoor kitchen furniture (1) according to the invention may further be provided with wheels (10) on its underside in order to be able to move the outdoor kitchen (1) in a simple manner.

The outdoor kitchen furniture (1) according to the present invention has clear added value and moreover has a lot of cupboard space, so that the user thereof does not continually have to run indoors to fetch kitchen utensils or ingredients. The outdoor kitchen (1) forms a pleasing aesthetic assembly and an object around which both the cook and the guests can sit together. It is an assembly which can function autonomously (via gas bottle and water supply) and yet also has suitable dimensions to be able to fit through a standard door opening. 

1. Outdoor kitchen furniture (1) having a base cabinet (6) with a large work surface (7) into which a cooking zone (8) and a sink (9) are incorporated, provided with a displaceable protective element (2) which comprises at least two panels (3; 4), wherein one panel (3) is tiltable with respect to the other panel (4), so that the protective element (2) is openable and closable, wherein in the closed position, the panels (3; 4) extend in the same plane and in that, in the open position, one panel (3) lies on top of the other panel (4), wherein said protective element (2) is moveable between a protective position and a use position by a combination of a sliding movement and a tilting movement.
 3. Outdoor kitchen furniture (1) according to claim 1, wherein the protective element (2) comprises a support structure (5) which is displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position.
 4. Outdoor kitchen furniture (1) according to claim 2, wherein said support structure (5) is provided with a first, fixed panel (4) and a second, tiltable panel (3).
 5. Outdoor kitchen furniture (1) according to claim 1, wherein said panels are of identical shape. 